The Haugean movement or Haugeanism (
Norwegian: haugianere) was a
Pietisticstate church reform movement intended to bring new life and vitality into the
Church of Norway, which had been often characterized by formalism and
lethargy. The movement emphasized personal diligence, enterprise and frugality.[1][2]
Background
The Haugean movement took its name from the lay evangelist
Hans Nielsen Hauge (1771–1824). It played an important part in nurturing the democratic folk movement of the time, and stimulating the entrance into politics of representatives of the rural population. It increased tensions between the more privileged classes and the common people, as well as between the clergy and the laity.[3][4][5]
Hans Nielsen Hauge worked as a
lay preacher at a time when such activity was forbidden by law. The
Conventicle Act of 1741 (Konventikkelplakaten) prohibited any religious meetings (
conventicles) not authorized by the state church: a response to radical
Pietism within Norwegian cities. The act decreed that religious gatherings could be held only under the supervision of a state-approved
minister of the
Church of Norway. The pastor was thought to be the only person who could correctly interpret Christian teachings. The ministers had the sole right to administer the
sacraments, and as a public official he was accountable to the state for the Christian indoctrination of his flock.[5][6]
Hauge came to feel that he had a divine call which made it mandatory for him to break this law and proclaim the word of God directly among his fellowmen. He advocated a
priesthood of all believers. He felt that people had to be awakened to a consciousness of their sins before they could begin to gain
salvation through the
grace of God. According to Hauge's views, the state church failed to provide parishioners with a personal
religious experience. Hauge’s religious teachings were therefore viewed as attacks on the state church and its ministers.[7][8]
Over a period of 18 years, Hauge published 33 books. Hauge traveled, mostly by foot, throughout much of Norway. Hauge was arrested several times and faced state persecution. He was imprisoned no less than fourteen times between 1794 and 1811, spending a total of nine years in prison. Upon his release from prison in 1811, he took up work as a farmer and industrialist at Bakkehaugen near Christiania (now Oslo). He later bought the
Bredtvet farm (now the current site of Bredtvet Church in Oslo) where he lived out his life.[9]
In the movement's early days, Hauge's emphasis on equality between men and women was a key aspect; women such as
Sara Oust served as lay preachers.[10]
Impact
The teachings of Hauge had considerable influence with Norway. Within commerce, many Haugeans launched industry initiatives, including mills, shipyards, paper mills, textile industry and printing house. Within political activities, three Haugeans –
John Hansen Sørbrøden,
Christopher Borgersen Hoen and
Ole Rasmussen Apeness – were in attendance at the National Assembly at
Eidsvoll in 1814.[11]
Within popular culture, the character Solveig in Peer Gynt (1876) by
Henrik Ibsen is presented as a member of a Haugean family, and this religious affiliation is clearly related to her purity and steadfast love for the play's protagonist.
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's work Synnøve Solbakken (1857) also presents the heroine as a Haugean with similar purity and commitment to her eventual betrothed, Thorbjørn. A vivid picture of Haugeans appears in the novels of
Alexander Kielland.
Adolph Tidemand portrayed Hauge and his followers in the painting Haugianerne (1852).[12][13][14]
In September 1817 de Zee Ploeg [
no;
de], a ship with 500 immigrants from
Württemberg, Germany, including a number of
Rappites (followers of Pietist
separatistGeorge Rapp), was forced to stop in Norway because of poor weather conditions. Staying in Bergen for about a year and provided with housing by the authorities, they were warmly accepted by the Haugeans. The two groups found much in common and held devotions together, with some of the Germans learning Norwegian during their stay. Samson Trae, a Haugean leader, noted that "It gave us extreme joy to realize that the foundation of your faith accords with the true word of God."[15] After Rapp's followers left to settle in the United States, the two groups remained in contact for at least some time. In one letter, the Rappites stated, "Our hearts have often longed for your loving and edifying company since we came to America. We have longed more for Bergen than for Germany because of the love with which you received us and re-freshed us in body and spirit."[16][17][18]
The influence of Hans Nielsen Hauge within Norway coincided with the years during which many Norwegians were immigrating to
North America. The Haugean influence on Lutheranism in America has been considerable. For example, the first Norwegian Lutheran minister in the United States was a Haugean.[19] Lutherans in the U.S. had a
Hauge Synod,
Eielsen Synod, and
Lutheran Free Church all indicative of that influence. He is honored and his writings are studied by American
Laestadians, also called Apostolic Lutherans. (Most Laestadian denominations did not merge.) Hauge is remembered on the liturgical calendar of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on March 29 as one of the renewers of the church.[20]
Opposition
In opposition to the Haugean movement's perceived legalistic, excessive focus on
works righteousness, the
Strong Believers movement was formed. Its leader, lay preacher
Knud Spødervold, published his book Guds nådes husholdning ('The Dispensation of God's Grace') in 1848. It was a polemic theological critique of the Haugeans,
Moravian Church,
Quakers, and others.[21][22] This resulted in a "fierce bitterness" between the Haugeans and Spødervold.[23]
^
abFrom revolt to hegemonyArchived 2017-12-02 at the
Wayback MachineTysvær Local History Book. Volume 9; Such as They Lived, Svein Ivar Langhelle, Tysvær kommune, Rogaland, Norway, 1997, translation by Rotraud Slogvik, 2002
^Røe, Ingrid Petronille; Ødegård, Inger Karin Røe (2023-03-08),
"Sara Oust", Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian),
archived from the original on 2020-03-26, retrieved 2023-05-02
^Nils Egede Bloch-Hoell.
"haugianere". Store norske leksikon.
Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
^Letter from Samson Traae, in the Manuscript Collection of The University Library, Oslo; letters from Kyllingen and Seglem in Haugean Letter-bank, manuscript in Norsk historisk kjeldeskriftinstitutt, Oslo.
^German emigrants to "Dear, beloved Brothers and Sisters of God’s Society in Bergen", May 14, 1819, in Haugean Letter-hook, manuscript in Norsk historisk kjeldeskriftinstitutt, Oslo.
^Haanes, Vidar L. (2021). "Chapter 10: In Search of the New Jerusalem: Millennial Hopes and Scandinavian Immigrants to America". In Zorgati, Ragnhild J.; Bohlin, Anna; Sjøvoll, Therese (eds.).
Tracing the Jerusalem Code. Vol. 3: The Promised Land Christian Cultures in Modern Scandinavia (ca. 1750–ca. 1920). Berlin, Boston:
De Gruyter. pp. 189–212.
doi:
10.1515/9783110639476-011.
ISBN9783110636567.
S2CID233586435.
Amundsen, Arne Bugge (1997) The Haugean Heritage – a Symbol of National History (from "In Search of Symbols. An Explorative Study" Jens Braarvig & Thomas Krogh,editors, pp. 214–233. Department of Cultural Studies, University of Oslo)
Eielsen, Sigrid (2000) A Haugean Woman in America : the Autobiography of Sigrid Eielsen (Norwegian-American Historical Association. Northfield, Minn., vol. 35)
Gjerde, S. S. & Ljostveit, P. (1941) The Hauge Movement In America (The Hauge Inner Mission Federation)
Wee, Mons Olson (1919) Haugeanism: A Brief Sketch of the Movement and Some of Its Chief Exponents (Harvard University)